Final answer:
Major ethical issues in qualitative research include informed consent, confidentiality, objectivity, and validity. Ethical concerns primarily focus on the well-being of participants, their informed and voluntary participation, and the fair and confidential handling of information. Researchers must adhere to principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice to maintain high ethical standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
Major Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research In the context of qualitative research, major ethical concerns include informed consent, confidentiality, objectivity, and validity. Informed consent ensures that participants are fully aware of the study's purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits before agreeing to take part. Confidentiality relates to the safeguarding of participants' personal information and the assurance that data collected will not be disclosed in ways that could harm the subjects. While objectivity refers to the neutrality and impartiality of the researchers in conducting and reporting the study, validity is concerned with the accuracy and truthfulness of the findings. However, when looking at ethical concerns, the emphasis often lies on preventing harm to participants, protecting their rights and ensuring voluntary participation with a clear understanding of the research process. Researchers must respect the autonomy and privacy of participants, avoid causing them harm, and treat their input with dignity. Studies must display beneficence, doing good for the participants and society, while avoiding any potential to cause stress or harm, following the principle of nonmaleficence. This entails preserving confidentiality, ensuring voluntary participation, and maintaining fairness in the selection of research subjects. Justice, as an ethical principle, requires researchers to conduct studies in a manner that equally distributes the benefits and burdens of research among all groups involved. Throughout the research process, the adherence to ethical protocols such as obtaining informed consent, respecting participants' rights to privacy, ensuring confidentiality and protecting from harm, demonstrates the commitment to upholding ethical standards in qualitative research. It is important that researchers remain transparent about how collected data will be used in future, whether it will be archived or destroyed, and that significant rights to review and edit research material are granted to contributors whenever necessary.